Separation
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: A normal day turns out to be anything but. DCI Banks faces the most frightening case of his career so far. When both victim and perpetrator are close to home can he protect those he loves?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer I do not own DCI Banks. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

Chapter 1

The police station was a hive of activity as Alan shrugged his jacket off. He was keen to get on with the day, glad that he didn't have to endure another day when his father let him know how much of a disappointing son he really was.

"Hi Helen." He smiled at the stoic brunette who just nodded towards Annie's abandoned desk.

"She is never late."

"Have you called her? Maybe there's a problem with Isla? Or the car is playing up?"

"Annie would ring. Ken tried her mobile, no answer."

"What about the child minder? Clare? Doesn't she take Isla to nursery on a Thursday? Have you tried David?"

"He said she had gone. He hung up. I'm worried. The baby is with Clare. I told her to stay with Isla."

"Ok. Now you have my attention." Alan frowned, immediately worried. He didn't like Annie's boyfriend. If he was honest, really honest he hated the guy. Annie was far too good for him. Frowning he headed towards his office, checking his phone as he went. Moments later he was sat at his desk listening to the message left for him. Swearing profusely he got to his feet before calling Helen, Ken and newest recruit Dee into his office he tried to collect his thoughts.

"Sir?" The new girl frowned.

"Helen was right to be worried." He looked at his desk as he played the message.

"Shit." Helen muttered. "That's her?"

"Yeah. I'd know that voice anywhere." Alan's voice dropped as he listened to the message. "According to Clare she was fine when she dropped the baby off."

"So this happened after?" Dee shook her head. "Who's the bloke on the tape?"

"Sounds like Dave,"

"Sorry? I'm lost." The new girl stared at her colleagues.

"Her boyfriend." Helen snapped. "She told me he has a temper."

"What? When?"

"Did you not see the bruises? Cmon Boss. Don't tell me you thought she was telling the truth? The only reason he turned up at the hospital that day was because he thought the doctors and nurses would work out not all the bruises were caused by a boot in the face."

"Not Annie." Alan sighed. "Not her. She wouldn't put up with it." Helen looked agitated as Alan finally realised there was a lot Annie and Helen hadn't told him. "I think you've got some explaining to do."

"She was going to leave him."

"Good!"

"Irrelevant now. He's obviously found out and intending on stopping her." Alan barked. Helen nodded.

"What now?" Dee bit her lip, remembering her time with SARC and Vice. She didn't like to think what state her senior colleague would be in when they found her.

"We investigate. We find Annie." He nodded as the detectives left the office. He slumped in his chair, guts churning with worry and fear. He had to find Annie. He just had to.

Xxxx

A/N worth going on? Please review


	2. Chapter 2

Lost

Alan looked out over the bleak Yorkshire moors as Helen drove towards Annie's little terraced house. Uniform had been sent round there but he had to see for himself.

"Why didn't she say anything?"

"Relationships are funny things." Helen answered. "I begged her to leave him. To tell you. She said she'd hurt you enough."

"Leaving him." Alan frowned. "Must have sent him over the edge."

"Yeah. Two women in the UK are killed every week by a partner or ex partner." Helen pushed her foot to the accelerator.

"Thanks for that."

"Just saying." Helen snapped as Alan sent up a silent prayer that Annie was safe.

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"Dee?"

"Yeah." The brunette looked up over her computer screen.

"You dealt with stuff like this in your last job." She nodded. "Ever get a good outcome?"

"Depends." She sighed. "What do you mean by good outcome?"

"Find the vic alive." He looked as she took her glasses off. She shook her head.

"Ken, listen duck." She crossed the room. "I worked child protection, Vice and then got seconded to murder squad. I told more spouses, parents and siblings that their loved one is dead more time than I've had hot dinners. I've also put some right scum behind bars. I've never had a case involving another copper."

"Where did you work?"

"South Wales Police, Greater Grimsby and now here. My ex was Welsh. Still is."

Ken smiled. He liked the new girl.

"We'll find her. This one will be different."

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Annie had no idea where she was. She felt sick, her head ached as she opened her eyes. She felt too ill to be afraid. The smell hit her as she rested her head back on her knees.

"It's ok."

"David, this is insane."

"No, no it isn't." He brushed her hair from her face, kissing her roughly. Annie winced as he pulled her to him. Releasing her lips he held her against the stone wall. "I'll tell you what's insane. You thinking I'd let you walk away." He kissed her again as she tried to push him away, the blood trickled along her hairline as her knees began to buckle.

"Leave me alone." Annie gasped as he grabbed her roughly. "David." The slap knocked her to the floor as a boot knocked her unconscious. Her last conscious thought was of Alan and her baby.

Xxxxx

A/n please review

Xxxxxxxxa


	3. Chapter 3

If anyone is reading this, please review.

Fear

Alan glared at the plain white front door as Helen hammered on the window. The biting Yorkshire winds cut through his skin but he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was finding Annie.

"Boss." Helen had her face pressed against the window with her hands cupping her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"They were here. Ayla's doll is on the table. Annie's trainers are by the settee. Looks like she left in a rush."

"I dunno if you hadn't noticed Annie is always in a rush." He smiled as he thought of the blonde. "We know she took the baby to the childminder. So we know Annie was ok at 8:30."

"True." Helen stepped away from the window. "Look." Alan paused before doing as Helen asked.

"Bloody Hell."

"We need to get in there. Key?"

"I don't have one." Alan looked at her as she nodded before walking back to the White front door with the glass panel. Moments later she slipped off her shoe, using the heel

to smash the glass.

"Helen!"

"Do we have any way of knowing someone isn't in there? That life may be danger? Technically?"

"No. I."

"Well then." She unlocked the door before leading the way into the cottage.

Xxxxxx

Dee shook her head as she watched the images on the computer screen change. She barely knew the missing detective but she knew the type of man she had been involved with. Dee narrowed her eyes before looking away from the computer.

"Did you know about this?"

"Eh?" Ken looked up.

"This!" Dee gestured towards the monitor. "This bloke Annie was seeing. He's got convictions for assault."

"Say that again."

"Aged 19 he was involved with a fight. Another lad, a sixteen year old."

"Lads scrap."

"Yeah." Dee nodded. "But your average drunken teenage scrap doesn't lead to a kid being brain damaged."

"Bloody hell.."

"An ex girlfriend, Julie Anne Jones also had an injunction put on him back in 2011. He wasn't allowed to go within ten miles of her or her son."

"Why?"

"Says here, domestic issues and threats to her personal safety. Apparently she tried to dump him and he didn't like it." Dee sat back. "How could Annie not know?"

"Do you check the past of your fellas?"

"Yes." She stared at him. "Not a full police check but I do my homework. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram it's easy enough. Even googling someone."

"You have a suspicious mind." Ken laughed. Dee raised an eyebrow.

"I'm the youngest of five kids and the only girl. My dad was a liar and a drunk, I have a levels in sussing out psychos and liars." She smiled as he raised an eyebrow. "Just because I'm the new girl doesn't mean I'm green."

"Cmon, I reckon we need to talk to this Julie." Ken threw her denim jacket as he headed out of the office.

Xxxxx

Alan glared at the hardwood floor of Annie's hallway. There had obviously been a great deal of time and energy spent to clear it up but he could see the blood stain in the wood. He felt sick as Helen returned.

"She's not here."

"Ok."

"Personal stuff is missing so she definitely wanted to leave." Helen folded her arms. His eyes narrowed as the mobile phone in his pocket sprang to life.

"Yes?!" He closed his eyes. "Let me talk to her. Where are you?" He waited a second before putting the phone away.

"What?"

"That. Was him. He said Annie is never coming back to work. That we'd not see her again."

Xxxxxxx

A/n please review


	4. Chapter 4

Damsels in Distress

Annie narrowed her eyes, she was terrified but there was no way she was going to let the man in front of her know that. She took a deep breath, Annie Cabbott didn't do the damsel in distress routine. She didn't need rescuing. The man in front of her was clearly agitated.

"The child minder." Annie tried to keep her voice stable. She looked up from her position on the sofa. She felt sick at the look in his eyes.

"The baby can't be there all day."

"She's ok."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know but I'm supposed to pick her up later." Annie hadn't expected the slap as her head spun to the left. Her vision blurred as he grabbed her throat.

"Keep your mouth shut."

Annie gasped as he released her, knowing she had finger marks burned into the flesh.

Xxxxx

Helen walked into the garden as Alan called the station. It seemed Dee and Ken had a lead, for which he was grateful but Tariq was still at the station as worried as ever.

"Dee found an ex girlfriend. Apparently this Julie has an injunction against him. Tariq is looking through David's finances. There has to be something. Somewhere he could take her." Alan looked out over the garden, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Workmates." Helen stated firmly.

"Worth a shot."

"We will find her." Helen sounded so sure of herself. "We will get her back, Alan." She squeezed his arm as she walked towards the car. Alan sighed. His friend, the woman he loved was missing. His eyes fell closed as he tried not to think about the worse case scenario. Annie could already be dead. Tears filled his eyes as he thought about Annie alone and scared. He knew he loved her, he just didn't know if she knew. The thought of the man she was in a relationship with hurting her turned his stomach.

"Boss?" Helen opened the car door. "Alan?"

"Yeah?" He mentally shook himself as he headed towards the car, glad that Helen had decided to drive.

Xxxx

"Up." David pulled her to her feet. She didn't resist as he dragged her towards the door. She was terrified something would happen to her daughter. She had long since given up worrying for herself. David was going to kill her. That much she was resigned to. What she couldn't do, wouldn't let herself do was think about Alan.

Cxxxxxx

Tariq grabbed the phone, his anxiety and excitement palpable. Rocking back on his heels he waited for his boss to answer the phone.

"Tariq?" Alan answered. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I have something. I think I know where Annie might be."

Xxxxxx

A/n please review. Is it worth going on?


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to lullaby moon for reviewing

Drive!

Helen pushed her foot to the accelerator as Alan kept talking to Tariq. She knew Dee and Ken were headed towards the same location they were. She kept her eyes on the road, dodging the potholes as Alan swore.

"Careful!"

"Bugger careful." Helen growled taking a corner in fourth gear. Alan smirked slightly, the cool and calm DI seemed totally focused but was grateful she was channelling her aggression and fear into the little car's accelerator. He couldn't fight the feeling that they were running out of time.

Xxxxxx

Annie lay as still as she possibly could. At best she thought David would believe she was still unconscious. At least that gave her some thinking time. At worst it also gave him time to think. She knew he liked to plan everything in detail. Laying still with her eyes closed she tried to ignore her cheek throbbing. Suddenly she felt a cold hand on her throat. Harsh fingers pressed on her pulse point. She tried to regulate her breathing knowing David would instantly be able to tell if she was awake. She heard swearing before she was dragged off the battered sofa towards a door.

"Annie." His voice spat her name. "I told you." She let him take her full weight, if he was going to kill her there was no way she was going to make it easy for him. "You don't get to leave me." He threw her onto the stone floor of the kitchen, her head hitting the floor hard. Glass smashed as familiar voices began yelling. She was vaguely aware of David shouting as Dee and Ken dragged him away. Helen called for paramedics before reading David his rights. It was then she felt a more gentle hand brushing hair from her face.

"Oh God. No." She heard him whisper. Alan's voice shook as he felt for a carotid pulse. Finding one he silently thanked God before gently shaking her shoulders, "Annie love? Annie, please open your eyes. Don't leave me." He pleaded before kissing her forehead. "Stay with me. I love you." He blinked back tears as he spoke. Annie smiled slightly, ignoring the pain in her cheek.

"You're not so bad yourself." She whispered as Alan held her not sure if he should laugh or cry. "I love you, an all."

Xxxxxxa

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	6. Chapter 6

Epilogue

The paramedics hadn't wasted much time before bundling Annie into the back of the ambulance. Alan followed, aware that Helen and the others had arrested the man responsible for Annie's disappearance. He felt sick as he thought about Annie laying cold and dead on the cold stone floor. He knew that image would haunt him for the rest of his days.

"Alan?" Annie spoke as he stared into space. "Alan, are you ok?"

"Shouldn't it me be asking you that?" Alan smiled as Annie gave him a pointed look. Even with a badly bruised face and mild concussion she had the ability to stop him in his tracks.

"I was terrified. When Helen told me what had happened I couldn't think straight. I just. If Helen hadn't been there I dunno what I'd have done."

"She has her uses then." Annie tried to smile but instantly regretted it. "Alan."

"Why didn't you tell me? About David?"

"I wanted to." She sighed as Alan carefully pulled the shirt collar away from her neck. Annie closed her eyes at the touch. She had no idea what he was thinking but she could feel the heat rising. "I didn't want to admit it to myself. Everyone thought he was such a great bloke."

"Then everyone was wrong."'Alan's voice was harsher than he intended. His voice broke as Annie finally met his look.

"It was my fault. I felt like a failure, a bad mother."

"Nonsense. You are a fantastic mum. Ayla adores you. She's a lovely little girl."

"Yeah she is."

"And that's because of you." He tilted her chin up as she tried to look away. "I'm not a perfect parent. Far from it. You've met my kids."

"There's nothing wrong with them."

"Thanks to their mum." Alan smiled. "And Ayla is amazing thanks to you." Annie but her lip, she knew Alan meant every word.

"Do you remember what I said when you found me?" She smiled slightly. Alan nodded, blushing.

"You're braver than me. I wanted to say it for so long. I messed everything up, there's no wonder you fell for him. I."

"Shut up." Annie squeezed his hand. "You don't get to blame yourself for this. I meant what I said back there. I meant every word but I need time. I need to feel like me, if that makes sense."

"I can wait." Alan smiled as she kissed him briefly. He hugged her gently, kissing her hair. "There's time."

Xxxxxx

A/n please review


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